


Agony In Sacrifice

by invaderspotty



Series: VaderDala [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Blood and Violence, Childhood Trauma, Darth Vader Needs a Hug, F/M, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Other, POV Darth Vader, POV Padmé Amidala, Protective Darth Vader, Senator Amidala says fuck off, Sith Anakin Skywalker, Suitless Darth Vader, Vader has anger issues, the story is rewritten yet palpatine still fails
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:08:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25383613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invaderspotty/pseuds/invaderspotty
Summary: Able to foresee his defeat at the hands of his apprentice and Luke Skywalker in the near future, Emperor Palpatine learns the ability to turn back time and essentially reset destiny. The entire tide of events changes, and while Skywalker and Amidala still exist, their paths are not meant to cross in the same way as before. Love from across the stars can be unbreakable, no matter what stands in its path.//Vaderdala/Anidala fic//
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Darth Vader
Series: VaderDala [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1838308
Comments: 37
Kudos: 62





	1. Reset

**Author's Note:**

> oh lordt okay.  
> HELLO everyone and welcome!
> 
> I haven't written anything outside of RP in years and years but I finally convinced myself to write a vaderdala fanfic because I love them. I won't give much away but yes after this chapter it's gonna be from Padme and sometimes Vader's POV. I apologize if it doesn't seem super in character or canonically accurate :/ I'm trying my best. I hope you enjoy this journey that we're both gonna go on!  
> I will update tags as the story progresses, I am also writing this by myself without a beta so please have mercy.
> 
> I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters in the story,,,,unfortunately. So without further ado here we go!  
> EDIT: I changed the alignment of the words in each chapter bc i realized how annoying it is.*  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**"Home  
A place where I can go  
To take this off my shoulders  
Someone take me  
Home."**

Mobility was not what some would consider to be his strongest asset, But he hadn’t needed to exalt too much energy, either way, his personal T-4a had carried him most of the way.  
He didn’t need to be told they were going in the right direction, he could feel it. His old bones seemed to become sensitive to every whim and whistle of the Force, which sometimes came as a blessing and also a painful reminder of his mortality.

Emperor Palpatine was foretold to be the most powerful man in the galaxy, aside from one other.

Despite his best efforts and the years he had put into plotting his reign, he had placed too much faith into another, and for years he had worried it would be his downfall. Days ago, the Force had confirmed that fear for him. All he had seen was crackles of blue, the feeling of falling out of control swarming his body. His mouth remained closed yet he could hear screams, his own screams of anguish.

Palpatine never screamed in anguish.

He wasn’t a fool, he was not weak and never truly had been.

The ever-present face of Luke Skywalker, looking so similar to his father before Mustafar, resided in his mind long after he had awoken from his nightmare. He was not a man who was used to nightmares, relics of old fears haunting him in his slumber. The Force had shaken in a disturbance that night, so powerful that it left him weak the next day. The Emperor had experienced a vision unlike any other he’d seen before, he was sure it was his downfall...The Force was sending him a warning.

At first, he had been positively sure that the son of Skywalker was to blame, that he would be the one to defeat him and end his reign...The scrap of a Jedi would bring everything he had worked for down upon his head, and therefore he needed to be disposed of. It was clear he wouldn’t become an asset to him, not like his father had. Especially after Vader’s report of what had occurred on Bespin, his apprentice’s failed plan to procure the young boy proved that the boy’s resilience outmatched his father’s.

But it was some time later when Palpatine had begun to remember more of his vision, pieces fluttering together like broken memories. The story playing out before him and it became clear that it was not the son of Skywalker who would end him, but Skywalker himself. The man believed to be dead for decades, fighting through Vader’s walls for a short but critical moment...The traitorous being. It was clear that the Emperor could not change his fate by his own strength at this point. Annihilating the boy would only spark more problems, and he wasn’t a big enough fool to try and convince himself that he was any match for Lord Vader at this point.

No.

He couldn’t win this way, so he would find another way.

That’s where his journey began, the dark side aiding him and coursing through his veins like a drug as he entered the cave before him. An ancient place, surrounded by the echoes of agony. He relished in it, hardly afraid of the wave of pain that came over him as he trekked forward. He was alone in this part of his mission, not even Vader had been alerted to his movements. If things went as they were supposed to, then it wouldn’t matter.

Palpatine would not face the consequences of his actions, he would remain superior if he had to rip out the heart of every last Skywalker himself.

His thoughts drifted to the dreadful woman who started it all, the one who inevitably kept Skywalker alive within the cold black armor now encasing his corpse.

Padmé Amidala.

Of course, she had been critical to his plans at first. The perfect tool for manipulation, she had played her part beautifully. Her death couldn’t have been more satisfying, and while it had drained his apprentice it had done nothing but fuel the Emperor. He had absorbed her life force without a single care, an action he would never regret. It had ensured his apprentice’s life, loyalty, and agony. Amidala would have been the one factor that could’ve controlled Vader, and in the end it would be now that Palpatine thought about it. Through Padmé, the son of Skywalker lived, and through the son lay hope and love. Those emotions were poisonous to the Sith, feelings that could penetrate their core values and leave them wounded. It was the one force more powerful than hate, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Vader was weak in his own ways.

Despite his grave injuries on Mustafar they had helped uncover a new hatred in the beast, which practically gave Palpatine his leash on a golden platter. It was easy to control someone like Skywalker, less easy to control Vader.

His golden eyes shown through the darkness of the cavern, as he followed the pungent stench of the Force that led him to his destination. A cauldron, cracked along the edges of its stone shell lay before him on the cavern ground. He narrowed his eyes, watching it silently for a few moments, almost suspecting some kind of trick.

It was a gamble if this would work, but the rewards would be glorious. Palpatine would do anything to ensure his reign remained everlasting...He had nothing else to live for. Ultimate control for the Sith, all the power in his name, it was the way the galaxy should have always been. Hissing to himself, he lifted his old arms, his boney hands wrinkled with skin and skinny nails. Fingers hovered over the cauldron, and he closed his eyes before sucking in a deep breath. His dark hood covered most of his face and his entire body, but his sleeves tucked down slightly as hands raised higher.

A dialect drifted past his lips, practically unrecognizable and whispered softly. There was silence in the cavern except for the words of the Emperor, but the lack of action was only momentary.

A thick blue mist sparked at the bottom of the cauldron, soon growing larger and wrapping around the inside of the bowl in a spiral fashion. Palpatine refused to look, he didn’t need to, he could feel it. The heat, despite its cold blue color, was almost unbearable as it neared his fingers. A howling sounded, the mist overflowing the ancient stone relic and flushing at the feet of the Sith Lord. There was no light in the cavern, but Palpatine did not need it to see once he finally opened his eyes. He was attuned to the darkness, able to see the specks of mist growing more potent around him. It burned, but he continued with his words.

He called upon the past, upon the Force, the dark side.

He channeled his memory, knowing exactly which moment he needed to focus on. Time would bend to his will, but only this once. It would take practically everything out of him to perform this nearly impossible task, he could already feel his lungs collapsing in on themselves which caused him to stumble to his knees. Unaware of the consequences, he raised his voice, practically shouting and chanting in an effort to speed the process up.

It was moments later that he suddenly felt nothing.

He saw nothing.

The heat was gone, but there was no cold either. It was as if his life ceased to exist and for a moment Palpatine wondered if he was in fact experiencing death. He had come so close, so many times...But this felt nothing like that. Had he failed?

He couldn’t have.

There was only darkness, that not even his eyes could penetrate. He felt no fear, only confusion and anger. He needed answers.

_**“We cannot withstand their forces, Senator you must press this issue in the Senate immediately!”** _

He went suddenly from seeing nothing, to hearing the dreadful sentence that had long been forgotten. The scene suddenly appeared before him and he felt his pulse beating violently as his eyes fought to focus.

The smell, the lack of taste on his tongue, his hearing...All of his senses suddenly intact as he sucked in a breath. Staring before him lay the holo image of Governor Sio Bibble, pleading before his feet.

His face gave nothing away although his eyes flashed in recognition and disgust.

The planetary blockade of Naboo, a moment that would forever turn the course of history for the Republic.

He was exactly where he needed to be, and now it was time to get to work. The galaxy would be reformed, and this time he would not allow failure. Skywalker wouldn’t succeed, he would merely become the slave he had always been meant to be. Amidala would be taken care of, and fate would align just as he desired. His heart clenched with satisfaction, relishing in the vision he set before himself.

He was in control.


	2. Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew I just couldn't wait to keep writing so here we go! Please feel free to ask any general questions! Enjoy :)  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**_I loved_**

**_and I loved_ **

**_and I lost you,_ **

**_and it hurts like hell._ **

Her hand clutched tightly to the hanger above, the thin line of metal that allowed her some illusion of safety. But aboard these types of ships, safety was never a guarantee and she knew that every time she stepped on. 

Even with the doors to the gunship closed around them, the tiny crevices and holes made the whipping wind sound even more violent than it actually was. They were flying fast, faster than usual. Having descended from the Rebellion fleet to the planet of Naboo, this mission resonated quite personally with Padmé. 

Several intelligence units within the advisory council of the current Queen were being held under interrogation by the Empire after they had stumbled upon a smuggled shipment for the growing rebellion...coming straight from the ship ports of Theed. It had been a sloppy job, with dire consequences should this recovery mission fail. The price of failure meant more than just a few deaths, and she knew that.

Every day that the Empire stood and reigned tyranny was another day of gained strength for the Emperor and a loss of freedom to the people. It had been years since the rise of the Empire, and since the Republic Senate had been practically clawed apart from the inside out. Once Chancellor, Palpatine had now taken the title of Emperor and he had betrayed the people.

_The Jedi were accused of treason...But it wasn't true._

“Senator, are you alright?”  
  
Padmé blinked, her head shooting towards the direction of the voice and the look in the other’s eyes became more concerned. She realized she must look like a wreck, and the title of ‘Senator’ always left a bad texture in the air.

She was no longer a senator, and probably never would be again. Palpatine had made sure that she was among the group that was meant to be disposed of, her voice against the great Empire seen as an immediate threat of treason. The Emperor had been swift and merciless in dispersing the Senate, just as he had been with the Jedi.

Shaking her head, she nodded to the other and licked her lips before giving a determined glimmer to her brown eyes. 

“Yes, I’m sorry Obi-Wan, just had my head elsewhere.” 

She replied quickly in a whisper, shuffling her feet amongst the other Rebellion soldiers surrounding them. Her old friend attempted a comforting smile before looking away, although she could sense he knew her mind was still clouded. It was hard not to let her blood boil at the Empire every damned day. 

They had taken everything from her and the people she’d once served!  
  
She had been instrumental in Palpatine’s rise to power, her former mentor and friend...It had been devastating and had cut through her heart like a knife. He had been seen as one of the Republic’s best leaders in centuries, now it seemed like he had turned into a complete monster. She couldn’t help but wonder if he had been like that all along or if something had changed him?

Padmé would never forget the day the Jedi fell, slaughtered at the hands of the clones that once fought beside them and led by the mysterious black hole known as Darth Vader. He was a mystery and a monster, rumored to have once been a Jedi himself. The name supposedly sent chills down the backs of everyone who uttered it, as if it was a forbidden word. She would be a fool not to be frightened by the stories she heard of him, and even more concerned with ever coming face to face with the demon himself. But sometimes she had to wonder if he was real at all, there was no description of him, nobody she knew had come face to face with him and was still alive to tell the tale. 

The Rebellion had agreed in council that the Empire could not be destroyed unless Vader also fell with it. He and the Emperor held the blanket of fear over the galaxy, and it had spread rapidly. Vader was a threat within his own right, rumored to be a Lord of the Sith...She had learned what all this meant from Obi-Wan, which only fuelled the fire in her heart to fight. Padmé had worked her entire life to achieve freedom and democracy for the people so that people could be happy.  
  
Well, people weren’t happy under the protection of the Empire.

  
  
The speed of the gunship slowed and Padmé was again forced to focus on the situation at hand, each finger coming undone from the overhead as she readied her blaster at her side. She wore a dark navy shirt, with a brown leather vest draping over it. A few recognizable gadgets clamped against the fabric around her wrists and a belt with a holster for her blaster at her hips. The dark nylon material in her pants was dirtied, more than she would have preferred and she could have sworn she reeked of sweat. 

Of course, none of that mattered now, but all the same, it didn’t appear to be very Nubian. The group of them didn’t necessarily blend in, but they hadn’t had the time. This was a desperate mission to recover the abducted assailants from within the Palace of Theed. Not even the Queen had been made aware of their mission. Her curly ponytail swished over her shoulder as she turned towards Obi-Wan and watched the doors slide open along either side. 

He too was dressed in completely different attire, practically unrecognizable as a Jedi of any kind in his carefully armoured attire. If anything he gave off the vibe of a bounty hunter, colors and all. Far from what he used to be.

“Go! Go! Go! Move it!” 

The pilot shouted in the front, the boom of the voice shoving Padmé into action as she recognized the main hangar of the palace around them. The gunship was simply supposed to drop them off and then report for randevu if they succeeded in their mission. She jumped off the metal platform alongside Kenobi and glanced around. The former queen had been vital to this mission due to her knowledge of the Palace, although she had no complaints to the request. As a leader in the council for the Rebellion she was placed on a pedestal of sorts, valued by the rest of the group but she had never seen it that way. During the Clone Wars and her time as queen she had faced countless dangers with all her might, and come out alive. 

That didn’t mean she wasn’t sometimes injured...gravely...but she came out alive!  
  
Her life meant just as much as anybody else within the Rebellion, so when the chance to jump on a mission had arisen she had taken it without hesitation. Although her presence had drawn Kenobi into the mission as well.

The two were old friends, and it seemed to be an unspoken agreement that they needed to stick with each other and protect each other. It was good to have a friend in times like these...It wasn’t good to be alone in the galaxy.

There were only three other Rebellion fighters with them in the hangar and an astromech. It wasn’t until Padmé realized everyone was staring at her that she remembered she was technically leading the mission and therefore they were awaiting her orders.

Before she could even open her mouth she was again pushed.

“Orders, milady?” One of them spoke cautiously, each positioned defensively. 

She took a deep breath and stared around with a focused gaze. They couldn’t afford slip-ups. 

“Yes…” She hesitated, suddenly losing track of thought. This place, this mission, everything was distracting even though she had run through the plan countless times in her head. 

“Franklin,” Looking to a male fighter beside Obi-Wan, “You’re coming with me and R4, we’re going to locate the queen and make sure the Nubian guard doesn’t interfere, then it’s up to us to recover our captured men.” Her voice was strong.

“Meila, you and Ben are going to cause a distraction in the west wing of the palace, drawing some Imperial attention away from the dungeons below.” She gestured to Kenobi with her head, she received nods of affirmation in return. 

Finally, she turned to the last being before her. 

“Kelo, you’re going to stay here, keep your comlink on. We need the randevu point to remain secure, but be careful.” Padmé warned, stepping forward and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was a terrifying job to do alone, if Imperial forces came to the hangar and discovered him then it ultimately meant his capture or his death…

But they couldn’t risk a large group coming here.

Trying to fight the worry from her face, Padmé stepped back and nodded to them. 

“Alright, then good luck everyone.” 

Brown eyes darted to Franklin and R4 before the trio turned and headed towards the main exit of the hangar. Obi-Wan and Meila would be taking the tough route, the ventilation shafts. Padmé’s presence within the palace would be harmless for now, and the droid was a critical companion to help blockade the palace itself with the blast doors.

The group spread thin, and it wasn’t long until the marble stone of the long hallways caught Padmé’s awe and attention. She had missed this place dearly, more than she would admit. But Naboo was a luxury she could not have anymore, not as easily. Although she wasn’t openly considered a traitor to the Empire, she was no longer a figure of leadership within the government. It had become no secret that Palpatine despised her, he had practically wanted her within his grasp at all times though...Trying to manipulate her and her views. She had figured that he believed having control over her would help strengthen his rule and in truth it would have. Breaking free of his reigns had given her a breath of relief and she planned to keep it that way. Constantly on the move, she kept the Emperor’s spies away one way or another. 

It had been a miracle in the first place that they’d managed to get into Theed without issue, but Obi-Wan had assured her time and time again that a stealth mission like this was usually easy getting in but hard getting out.

She didn’t know if that was meant to make her feel better or not. 

“Milady--”  
  
“Franklin please, there is really no point in formalities.” She shrugged, keeping her eyes forward as Franklin walked beside her.

“Yes, well, won’t the Nubian guard and the queen find it rather...odd that you’re making a surprise visit? One they weren’t made aware of?” He asked cautiously.

She shook her head.

“You would think, but I know Queen Jamillia rather well, helped mentor her a little bit too. It may perhaps raise suspicion with any Imperial forces in the courtroom, but Jamillia will never allow it to seem that way which will hopefully fool them long enough. As a former queen here, it works in our favor that I’m still welcome here anytime.” She explained softly.

“Although...I suppose it will seem somewhat odd that she wasn’t informed of my arrival before now. We didn’t have the time though, we can use the surprise to our advantage hopefully, right R4?” She smiled to the droid below, tilting her head.

She was gifted a light-hearted beep in response and she fought the urge to chuckle as they continued on. 

Moving through the palace quietly, their peace was short-lived before Padmé found them uncoincidentally surrounded by palace guards.

Lifting her hands up slowly, her eyes flickered to Franklin in warning before he lifted his own hands in innocence.

“State your--”

She gave the guard a look straight on, glancing over her shoulder at the man who had spoken before he lost his breath. 

“Milady, we weren't informed of your arrival.” He practically stuttered.

Waving him off immediately, Padmé lowered her arms to cross them over her chest and she smiled warmly at the lot of them. 

“I know, I know. I didn't mean to seem so inconspicuous. I need to speak with her majesty immediately though.” Her voice was firm, addressing many of the guards who had once served her. 

There was hesitation within the small battalion of guards, uneasy glances exchanged and Padmé felt her own chest tighten up with weariness. 

“Is something wrong?”

Looking up at her with concern, the guard speaking before shrugged uncertainly. 

“Her majesty is currently entertaining Imperial officials, it wouldn't be wise to request an audience with her at the moment.” 

Padmé's gaze hardened before her arms fell down to her sides, brown eyes drifted across the circle formed around them as she contemplated their next course of action. She knew it wouldn't be the wisest move for them to mingle with any Imperial correspondence currently residing the throne room. Giving a sigh she looked down at her feet in thought. 

_So what now?_

_Should she even bother asking what type of Imperial presence was in the throne room?_

They had received no intel that anyone of importance would _really_ be in Naboo, if anything the important presence would meet the rebel smugglers _off world._

“I would still like to speak with her majesty, regardless.” Her tone was even, giving nothing away. 

It was moments later that the group found themselves being escorted to the royal courtroom. Padmé held her head high, allowing her emotions to be blanketed with protection as she focused on the task at hand. Having to sacrifice her blaster for the time being, she was relieved when the doors opened to reveal the bustling courtroom that she was so familiar with. 

She had once hosted so many people here, but that was so long ago. She had gotten so much older now, and her rule was over. 

Padmé requested that Franklin and R4 wait outside the courtroom, but even with just herself it was clear that her presence drew attention in the large room. 

Her eyes skimmed over several Nubian council advisors as well as Imperial officials, they were easy to pick out. Their attire so entirely different from that of Nubian culture, the lack of color or uniqueness was impossible to ignore. 

Nodding her head as she walked along, she ignored the sets of eyes that followed her. Though she silently acknowledged them all the way until she reached the Queen on her throne. 

Giving a graceful bow, Padme smiled genuinely to Jamillia, who returned the gesture as well. 

The doors that had closed behind her long ago shot back open before Padme could even get a word out. Her lips literally parted in preparation for a greeting and explanation before several stormtroopers burst into the room. 

Padmé’s head whipped around, her ponytail

practically slapping her neck as she looked to inspect the interruption. The unmistakable white armor reflected brightly off the marble and windows of the room. 

The trooper made his way to one Imperial individual in particular, gun hoisted in his hands at the ready. 

“Admiral, there's been some type of breach in the west wing, we believe it to be the rebels.” He stated emotionlessly but urgently. A wave of silence filled the room, unease was potent.

Padmé could barely pick up the words, but she was focused and had known what was coming anyways. The entire demeanor of the throne room changed, and Padme knew she had to act fast once things broke loose. 

Lifting his comlink to his arm he spewed our orders that weren't easy for Padmé's ears to understand. She squinted--as if that would help--before turning and looking to the Queen with a dire look on her face. 

A mix of Imperials and Nubian guard began to scatter about in the courtroom and Padmé took a singular nod from Jamillia as acceptance enough. Sprinting into action, Padmé burst past the flock of people in her way and out the door of the courtroom alongside them. As soon as Franklin spotted her he gave R4 a light fist to the head before booking it after her. Her feet were itching to get to the lower levels of the palace, everything such a blur in the chaos of the Imperials that she was able to slip through easily enough. 

Or so she thought.

“Hey! You there!”

She ignored the yelp, the modulated voice making it clear that a stormtrooper was calling out to someone and from the direction of the voice she would bet it was at her. 

The Nubian guard didn't stand in her way, if anything they crowded the Imperials even more in a purposeful or not effort to keep them held up. But the west wing was to the opposite of her destination, which worked perfectly in their favor. 

After passing through a corridor, Padmé skidded to a stop and looked to R4 and Franklin. 

“R4, get these blast doors shut! Anyone we meet the rest of the way we’ll just have to deal with.” She hissed, hand lowering to the belt at her waist before she realized with a jab of regret that she had given up her blaster…

She had forgotten to get it back. 

A shiver went through her body and she looked to Franklin who seemed to realize exactly what had happened as he lifted his own blaster up. 

“Don't worry, we’ll stay close.” He told her, nodding in determination. His own little way of promising to protect her. Rewarding him with a relieved smile she watched as the metal doors shut loudly and slowly behind them before R4 skirted back to her side. 

“Okay...Once we round this corner down the stairs there's no going back, I'll go first...Especially without my blaster I'll seem harmless. Just follow my lead, okay?” She asked shakily, leaning close to the pair of them. She wasn't questioned, although she could somehow feel the doubts radiating from them. 

Standing up straight she smoothed the front of her vest before taking up an elegant strut towards the corner rounding the stairs. Descending downwards she soon spotted two Nubian guards shielding the door to the dungeons, she supposed any and all Imperials must be settled inside…

Despite the lack of hostility coming from the two guards, their spiked staff came down to cross in front of the door. Blocking her way. 

“Stand down-”

“Guards!” 

A voice sounded behind her and she visibly flinched, eyes widening as she turned on her heel to see who had given such a commanding word. 

She swore her shoulders dropped in physical relief as she spotted Captain Panaka, an old friend and body guard to the queen...With Franklin and R4 at his side. How he had gotten past the blast doors they’d closed was beyond her, unless through one of the secret passages within the palace.

“Milady,” He smiled to her, tipping his hat. 

It had been years since she’d come face to face with him, but it couldn't have been better timing. There was no flash of danger or deceit in his eyes, instead they were warm and friendly. He definitely showed signs of age now, but he looked as physically capable as ever. 

“Captain,” She greeted back. 

His gaze rested on her for another moment before it snapped to the two guards behind her. 

“You two are to come with me, Lady Amidala is permitted.” 

It was his silent way of going along with whatever she had planned. It was impossible for him to know how or why she was here, but it was promising that he didn't question her nonetheless. But by the looks of it, he had taken a guess that things had a chance at getting violent. He wouldn't allow the guard to stand in her way nor face any unnecessary harm themselves. 

Despite Naboo’s distaste for the Empire, she agreed it was wisest to keep them out of any Rebellion affairs. Any sign of treason would bring a death grip down onto her home planet, and that was something she wouldn't be able to face. 

Silently the guards swept past her towards the captain before her colleagues descended towards her. 

“Are you going to be alright?” Panaka asked softly, staring down at her. 

She hesitated, eyeing him for a long moment before nodding slowly. 

She could only hope. 

“Thank you, my friend…”

He glanced down at his own belt, snatching a small blaster from his hip and checking the safety before tossing it to her. 

A short exchange but a meaningful one. 

Panaka gave another simple nod before departing with the guards. The trio was on their own now. But it was for the best. 

She turned again on her foot before slamming her hand to the button that allowed them access. 

The long corridor was dark and grim, just as she expected it to be but the presence there was unmistakably darker than usual. 

If he eyes had been closed she would've assumed she'd stepped into a freezer of sorts. The air was bone-chilling and immediately she felt a warning sound in her mind:

**_Don't go in there._ **

It wasn't until her companions brushed past her that she realized she was at a stand still, eyes wide and rather terrified as she stared ahead. There was nobody there before them, but the hall was long. As soon as a blur of white armor appeared she knew they would have found their location. 

“You alright?” 

_Why was everyone asking her that today?_

_Did she really appear that nervous?_

She didn't nod but she gave him a stern look, which shut his lips immediately. Chatter wasn't wise here, especially where sound echoed. 

Stepping forward she forced her body with each step, feeling the darkness of the area consume them in more ways than one. Padmé tried to even her breathing, fingers fiddling with the new blaster in her grasp. It wasn't her own, but it would do. 

It was still of Nubian fashion. 

Her thoughts broke when a scream sounded, echoing dreadfully against the walls. Her and the others froze, glued to the ground as fear erupted around them. Padmé hadn't heard a scream like that in so long and she felt her stomach churn.

“R4, go back and keep watch over the doors...We’re gonna need to get out of here fast.” She whispered lowly, the droid gave a beep and turned on its wheels before speeding away. 

Franklin and Padmé yet again exchanged silent knowing looks before breaking into a sprint down the corridor towards the corner. She knew they were both terrified, and she wished that Kenobi was here...She always felt safer with him. 

Rounding the corner flashes of white came into view and blaster shots sounded, coming directly from Franklin and Padmé as they sprung into action. 

Several shots fired, the surprise of their presence giving them the advantage as they quickly overwhelmed and shot down the two stormtroopers at the entrance of a particular cell. 

She had to assume there had been more attention down here until Kenobi and Meila had drawn it elsewhere. Thankful for the diversion of troops, Padmé breathed a sigh of relief and kept her blaster lifted. Immediately her hand shot to the release and the door shot open with a violent hiss. 

_Oh seven hells…_

The cell reeked, the stench immediately filling her nose and she felt her lungs tighten in disgust. Freehand lifting to cover her nose she fought to focus her eyes in the new dim lighting. 

But before she could even figure out what she was looking at, everything changed and she found her lungs craving oxygen in general. She couldn't breath, her eyes focusing only on darkness, blackness. 

She couldn't see Franklin beside her clearly but her peripheral vision gave her the privilege of seeing his body lift into the air. Her wide brown eyes glistened as her hands shot to her neck, one hand still gripping her blaster aggressively as she stood there. 

Before her stood the biggest mass of darkness she had ever seen. It was no Palpatine, although they could've been mistaken as such. The figure was the epitome of hatred before them, fury emitting from his very being as he outstretched a hand to the pair. 

Behind him laid the several Rebellion smugglers that she was meant to save. They looked pitiful, if not already half dead. Her mind swirled in thought and fear as she shuffled on the ground, trying to gain some type of distance. 

Suddenly she and Franklin were being thrown, as if an invisible hand had clutched their bodies and slammed them backwards. Her back hit the wall painfully and she fell to her knees alongside her colleague, both now gasping for air as the grip released their throats. But the lack of oxygen had been the least of their worries. 

The echo of mechanical breathing was unforgettable, eerie in every way possible and she was initially positive it was meant as some sort of fear tactic. Her head shot up, terror on her face as she stared straight up at the dark warrior standing at the entrance of the cell. 

His face was unreadable, covered by a mask that looked like something out of a nightmare. His cape swung around him even as he stood still, making him look much larger than he probably was. 

_Who-_

Everything had happened in a matter of seconds that Padmé couldn't even formulate a proper thought. All she knew was that they were in trouble. 

**_“L-lord Vader,”_ **

Her head darted to her left, eyeing Franklin as she realized he had uttered those words. Her jaw locked and she turned back towards the dark lord, her body frozen in fear. 

_Oh no._


	3. Mission Failed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't worked out every detail for the timeline yet but here's a loose one to answer questions for this AU:
> 
> -Naboo Blockade happened-Squad went to Tattooine-Anakin wasn't freed but he did help them and was promised that the Jedi would return to free him and his mother-Palpatine knew about Ani's existence obviously and snatched him, manipulated/trained him-Clone wars was much shorter than normal-Palpatine rose to power faster-Empire has been running for at least 11 years now- Vader is 21 while Padme is 26
> 
> Feel free to ask more questions, but again I've never written a fic really so I'm trying my best ! Thanks and enjoy  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**The fight never stops.**

_He had used the force on them_ , by the process of elimination it was easy to understand that her companion had been correct in his recognition. The dark Lord of the Sith stood before them, the mask allowing no true expression to show as he stepped up the ramp towards them. 

Padmé knew from her slightest movement that her back muscles would be in pain come tomorrow - if there _was_ a tomorrow. The realization was enough to spring her back to reality and she lifted her blaster, finger slipping to the trigger and pulling until she felt an invisible smack to her wrist and the blaster aimed upwards. The echo of the blaster bolt made her tremble and she squinted away for a moment only to look back at him in shock. His hand wasn't even outstretched anymore but it was clear he had used the force against her again. 

Somehow she could tell he held a layer of calm like he had a problem but already knew the solution, an easy solution really. As if the pair of them were nuisances, little bugs to him ready to be squashed. 

Her eyes bore into the round tinted holes he had for eyes. Even through the mask, she could feel their eyes connecting and it held for a moment, she felt unable to draw her gaze from his. A cry sounded in the back of her mind and she felt the echo of his breathing climb through her soul. He was terrifying, it angered her. Darth Vader’s presence was more than just some looming figure, he was a literal force that resembled the Emperor. The fear and hatred she felt every time she came into contact with Palpatine...Her lips parted in unease and shock before the moment flashed back into chaos as another blaster bolt came through the air, knocking the dark lord back in a violent flinch.

Padmé’s head whipped to her left, stunned, and she realized that during Vader’s distraction, Franklin had fired upon him...and _hit_ him. Straight in the shoulder. A quick look back to Vader told her that the bolt hadn't penetrated all the way through the armor or cape he wore, but had definitely taken him by surprise. His gloved hand coming up to clutch his shoulder as his helmet snapped up towards Franklin. A monstrous snarl sounded from him and Padmé scrambled to her feet in new fear, hands extending forward to push Franklin as Vader leaped towards them. 

It was clear that he was angrier than before, irritated in a way she couldn’t interpret but could make a pretty educated guess. 

Their mission was going to fail, and she knew that the pair would be lucky to make it out alive. But adrenaline coursed through her, she had never been put in this situation before and it made her muscles scream as the pain ran. Vader had missed them, if only barely and it shocked her that he hadn’t called upon the force to help him again.

She knew that they were no match for him, their only option was to abandon the mission and try to escape, although it pained her. Those poor men were going to be left to the will of this monster, and there was nothing she could do about it right now.

Sprinting, Padmé was surprised to find that Vader was merely _walking_ after them, quite menacingly. While they ran for their lives he pursued them with a newfound calm, which in her opinion was either entirely foolish or whole-heartedly terrifying. She couldn’t tell, all she knew was -

**_Run._ **

Vader was not one to let people escape his grasp, she knew this only from rumors though. She refused to believe he was some sort of pet to the Emperor but he definitely did the man’s bidding, perhaps it just so happened that their interests aligned so Vader had no qualms with carrying these tasks out.

Perhaps he just liked killing, and _torture_.

She wondered how a being could be like that - unless it was a droid. But even then, droids could take on some personality…

Darth Vader was something else, but definitely not a droid.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she raced towards the entrance to the dungeons where R4 waited calmly.

“R4! Close the doors, now!” She screeched.

Turning his little head around, the astromech practically jumped at the sight. The two rebels scrambling frantically towards him with a dark figure on their tail. R4’s wheels squealed as he pushed over to the door controls and screwed the knob to close the metallic doors guarding the prison area. 

“Are you mad?!” 

Franklin yelped beside her, desperately speeding up his pace as the doors began to shut from the top. Padmé remained silent, pushing herself as she threw her body down into a somersault and underneath the door. Rough and unsettling, she rolled, instantly looking back to see Franklin shuffling his feet with hesitation to follow after her before the door closed all the way.

Her eyes stayed glued to his feet as she leaned her head down, relieved as she saw his feet lift off. 

But they never came forward.

Instead, she saw red, the glow of the Sith’s lightsaber bringing more visible imagery to the corridor as he neared her colleague. It was then she realized what had happened.

_He’s holding Franklin with the force!_

She watched in horror, swerving her arm around and about to reach out to him in an attempt to help him! Padmé had to save him, she had failed to save the others already and Vader was drawing near and - !  
  
The door shut before she could fully extend her arm, forcing her to recoil it back towards her chest in panic as she sat there, unable to block out the screams that muffled through the metal. She was frozen, sitting there on the ground as the scream was cut short and she was forced to acknowledge what exactly had just happened. Vader had halted Franklin’s escape with the force, and now he was dead.

_Because of her._

Biting down on her tongue she felt horrified, forgetting herself for a moment until a surge of red burst through the metal. Gasping loudly, she flinched back and moved to scramble to her feet. He was going to come through, she needed to leave.

“Come on R4!” She hissed desperately.

_Franklin…_

Every member of the Rebellion knew the risks, but this was deeply concerning. Their intel had said nothing of Vader being present on Naboo, and even more, Captain Panaka hadn’t said anything either. _Why?_   
_  
Had he known or had he simply been unaware?   
  
How could the Queen’s royal guard be unaware that Lord Vader was here? _   
  
She felt her chest tighten with a mixture of emotions, having to push herself to keep moving. Her breath was heavy as she and R4 raced up the stairs leading back into the palace. Padmé needed to just focus on getting out of here with everyone else. Looking to her commlink, she clicked it and raised her wrist.

“Ben! What’s your location?” She stammered.

Silence.

Swallowing thickly she pressed on, calling his name again into the comm. 

After a few moments of scratchy audio his voice finally sounded.

“Currently making our way to the rendezvous point, we should probably um, make a quick exit. How’s your end of things?”  
  
He sounded out of breath, but if anything she was thankful just to hear his voice. At least he was alive. 

“I’ll tell you when I see you.” She replied gravely, clicking the commlink off as they rounded a corner. A trio of stormtroopers racing towards their direction slowed, seeming surprised at the woman and droid racing towards them. Their hesitation was brief as they quickly raised their blasters directly at her.

“Stop rebel scum!-”

She lifted her own blaster, no hesitation as she began to fire while running. They had no time to lose and Padmé was not about to let herself fall into Vader’s clutches. He had killed Franklin, a rebel mind who he could’ve torn apart, she doubted he would be as merciful with her.

Ducking under one bolt, she jumped up and shot a second trooper down while R4 butted into the third with his entire being. Releasing a shock to the trooper, all three suddenly seemed to be taken care of. She looked to R4 and gave a smile of relief, never underestimate a droid.

“Thanks,”   
  
They had almost reached the main hangar before they had more troops on their tale, but Padmé was thrilled to see Obi-Wan and Meila already ahead of them in the large bay, sprinting towards the gunship which hovered just outside the hangar. Looking over her shoulder she continued to shoot back at the troops that pursued them, R4 racing ahead of her with his little wheels. Unaware that Obi-Wan had stopped in his tracks, she almost collided into him as he helped defend her with his own blaster.

Ever since the Jedi Order had fallen he had more or less refused to use his lightsaber, publicly at least. It would only draw more attention than necessary, and although he never kept quiet about his distaste for blasters...He was rather good with one.

She assumed it was due to his attuned senses, the force and whatnot.

So in this case, his help was very welcome as the pair ran together and leaped onto the gunship.

“Go, now!” Kenobi shouted, dragging Padmé towards the cover of the gunship walls as the doors slid shut and they drifted with a hum upwards. Blaster bolts hit the side of the ship, she could tell from the sound and vibrations. But they were safe, they had made it out.

Not all of them though.

Collapsing onto the ground, her knees bent awkwardly, she placed her head in her hands after dropping her blaster, releasing heaving breaths. Obi-Wan pocketed his own weapon and knelt down beside her, Meila and R4 watching from a distance.

“Padmé...It’s alright...Where’s Franklin, and the smugglers?” 

His tone was so even and kind, as if he already knew what had happened and wasn’t angry or upset with her. She knew he wouldn’t be either way, but it was comforting that he spoke to her so gently. There were many times she could take a beating, physically or verbally...But this was one of the times where she just felt horrible and guilty.

“He’s dead...I couldn’t help the others. Lord Vader was there.” She whispered, cracked and concerned as she gazed up at him in sadness. His eyes widened, then his gaze hardened as he looked away from her in thought and surprise.

“We had nothing to suggest he might - “

“I _know,_ that’s why it didn’t work out...We got to their cell and he was there…” Her face contorted with pain as she recalled Franklin’s demise. “He…” She sniffed, shaking her head in denial as she rose back to her feet and wiped at her eyes.

“The mission was a failure...We need to make contact with command. Tell them what happened.” Padmé stated coldly, trying to block out her own grief. She couldn’t change any of this, this was the reality of things. 

Even with her back turned to him she could feel Obi-Wan’s eyes boring into her, pity radiating from him. He knew nobody would blame her, but she still blamed herself.


	4. When You're Alone

Now in the midst of space, Padmé stood alone before a holo-grammed figure, hands clasped in front of her lazily as she stared down at her feet.

“How could our intel have been so wrong?”   
  
Her gaze lifted to the voice, Bail’s, who was admittedly very frustrated at her report. But she could tell his frustration was not directed at her. No, Bail had always been kind to her, she imagined he still would’ve been even if this had been all her fault. But she did carry the weight of Franklin’s death on her shoulders, Lord Vader fresh in her mind. Its dark mask of death was burned into her memory.    
  


_ How could one look so angry with a mask covering their face? _

  
  
“I don’t know. But we can’t have another incident like this, fooling Imperial officers is one thing but Lord Vader? He won’t forget this.” She hissed, crossing her arms as she straightened her position. 

Bail halted his pacing and looked to her, eyeing her critically. 

“I know, he and several other Imperials seem to take things like this...very personally.” He grunted, lifting a hand to scratch at his chin. 

“Understandable, nothing is more fragile than an Imperial’s ego.” Padmé snorted.

She was rewarded with a chuckle from the other, both standing in the room together as if they were suddenly just old friends. Not running an entire military rebellion. Of course, there were others on the council, but Bail was always easiest for her to contact. Spreading multiple transmissions from one source was dangerous anyways.

“I’m thankful that you made it out alright, but we have to prepare for what this means.”

  
  
She lifted a brow, tilting her head in curiosity as she stood there. 

  
  
“Naboo must be left to their own devices, for now, it’s too dangerous to have our presence there what-so-ever.” Bail told her grimly. 

Sighing, she had known it was coming. The idea that she would now have little to no chance of seeing her homeworld for a while was disheartening, but it made sense. The imperial occupation would double due to their little performance in Theed, which only made it more dangerous for the people. For their sake, the Rebellion needed to keep a distance for now. Her eyes bore into the hologram, hardening in understanding but regret. 

“I understand. What’s next then?” 

  
  
“You and the rest are to rendezvous with the fleet, you and Master Kenobi surely need some rest.” He prompted, shrugging his shoulders. “The council will decide where to go from here once you return.”   
  
And with that, leaving no room for questioning, the hologram fizzed into nothingness. The only light in the room now gone and leaving Padmé in darkness except for the viewport to her left. The stars shown brightly in and she stood there for a good minute just taking in their situation. Everyone had been relying on her and even though Bail wouldn’t admit it to her, she knew she wouldn’t be placed on a mission like that for a long time now. She had practically been on her knees trying to make her case to the council before, desperate to see her homeworld. 

She frowned to herself, her crossed arms tightening as Padmé closed her eyes in contempt. 

Vader had ruined it, not her. They had been so close.

He was a monster, for doing what he had done. He had toyed with them, made them believe they had gained distance on them. She could only imagine what horrors others had seen him commit. It was then she realized her entire body was tensed up painfully, her anger building. She forced herself to relax and after a few silent moments, she turned on her heel and exited the room into the hallway of the freighter. 

It was unsurprising to find Obi-Wan waiting just outside the door and across the way, leaning against the wall with his chin cuffed in his hand. He had clearly been deep in thought just before she had come out, but his face perked as he noticed her. His foot lowered from the wall and he stepped towards her, looking calm and collected.

_ He always somehow looked calm and collected. _

To see him break down, to see him show an essence of despair...it was rare. He kept himself locked up like a vault, yet somehow always showed such care for her.

“So?”

  
  
He crossed his arms, standing in front of her in the corridor as he asked for a report.

“Bail wants us to return to the fleet.” She said simply, her tone giving nothing away as she turned and began to take steps away from him. 

Obi-Wan’s face fell and his chin tilted forward. 

“Senator - “   
  
“ _Obi-Wan_ , we’ve been over this.” She warned, frowning.

“Alright…” He sighed, “ _ Padmé,  _ you know you can’t take the blame for what happened. None of us knew. I didn’t even sense him.” He followed at her side slowly. 

She rounded on him, her eyes flashing with pain and anger as she opened her mouth to speak. But she held herself there, knowing that getting defensive wasn’t the right move here. He was her friend, he only meant to help...Still, it wouldn’t change anything. 

“...I know realistically that it wasn’t my fault. But I was responsible for everyone on that team, their safety…” She sighed, stopping and looking down at her feet. “It just doesn’t feel right, and I feel so  _ angry.  _ We’ve bested the Empire before but, this was different. I can’t shake the feeling of that monster staring into my soul.” With the words leaving her mouth she felt a cold chill run down her back. Her hands roughly came up to hug herself, aggressively rubbing her arms to chase the cold feeling away.

Obi-Wan placed a hand on her shoulder, turning his body towards her as he moved a step forward. 

“Do you...remember facing him?” She asked hesitantly, only her eyes lifting to look at him. 

His face visibly stiffened, throat tightening as he avoided her gaze for a moment. He was thinking, choosing his words carefully. It was something they’d rarely spoke of, all she knew was that facing Darth Vader at the temple during his escape was something that would haunt him forever. 

“I do. It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Even facing Darth Maul on Naboo,” He admitted, arms falling to his sides. “The hatred that swells within Vader, it’s intoxicating. I just remember sensing his satisfaction and anger, like he couldn’t get enough. Every Jedi he slaughtered wasn’t enough to quench his thirst. But I don’t know where that thirst came from.” 

Padmé nodded, lifting his chin and moving her arms to slide under his own. She wrapped herself around her friend, leaning her head onto his chest and surprisingly enough he let her. One hand came up to rest on her back, and then a few moments later another wrapped across the top of her shoulders. They embraced, comforting each other through the harsh memories for a few silent moments. 

Once they released each other Padmé gave him a determined look, gaze hard. 

“One day, the Empire is going to fall, and so will Vader.” She assured, almost like a promise.    
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a small chapter to keep it flowing, these next few weeks for me are going to be incredibly busy so I'm not sure how often I'll be updating. I have so many ideas for this story tho. also maul is not gonna be in this story, he was mentioned but won't play a part here.


End file.
